


Hero Too

by DiegoonNio



Series: Nio's Fluffy Fridays [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Fluff, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:27:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23830807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiegoonNio/pseuds/DiegoonNio
Summary: The strong bully the weak. It's a cycle that never ends unless someone steps up. A story of Urianger and Thancred when they were children.
Series: Nio's Fluffy Fridays [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1697884
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Hero Too

**Author's Note:**

> Main characters are children and gender is written as Thancred perceives people. Just keep those things in mind,

When Thancred had followed Louisoix, a part of him had expected a better life. After all the home of a great scholar had to be better than the slums of Limsa Lominsa, right? Wrong. Everyone was just as cruel. At least in Limsa he could fight back. If he tried he’d lose food or be kicked back onto the streets and unfortunately, he grew to enjoy such comforts.

“Is that as fast as you can go?” The instructor scoffed as the other students laughed. Thancred bit back a response knowing that would just make things worse. “I had expected someone with more brawns than brains to be faster. Again.”

The boy gritted his teeth but stepped to the starting line. He could hear the whispers and giggles of the others but ignored them. There was no way he could finish the obstacle course but he rather fail trying then get ridiculed for giving up. At the signal, he bolted forward. Under, left, right, center, jump, dodge… he still had everything memorized from his first attempt. However, his legs and lungs were aching. This wasn’t made to do twice in one day.

Still he continued until he reached the rope. His arms burned as he struggled to climb it. When he was near the top, his arms were shaking. It hurt to reach up but he kept going. One hand touched the platform and as the other hand moved to join, he slipped. He tried to grab onto the rope but continued to fall twenty feet until he slammed onto the ground. Intense pain shot up the arm he landed on but he didn’t scream. One of his first lessons was never make a sound even if you’re in pain.

“Sit up,” The instructor ordered as he approached. Kneeling down, he began to check Thancred’s wounds. The boy held back a hiss while his arm was felt roughly. There were a few more checks before the instructor stood. “Looks like you were able to catch yourself decently enough. Nothing is broken and I don’t sense a concussion. Apparently you are learning something.”

Thancred was silent as he stood. He gently touched his arm to check it and winced at the pain. “That being said, your arm was still damage. Rest it and continue leg exercises and dexterity training with your good arm. Return here next week. Don’t be late.”

The boy blinked in surprise before he bowed slightly. “Thank-you, sir.”

The instructor rolled his eyes. “If you’re grateful, then don’t get injured. Now get out of my sight. I have a class to teach.”

Thancred nodded before running off. He could the class laughing and bet they thought he was kicked out. He’d show them though. He’d train harder than ever now that he had free time. But as he reached outside, his lungs started burning again from the earlier training. He slowed down to catch his breath by leaning against the wall. Unfortunately, he used his bad arm and instantly regretted it. With a hiss he pulled away quickly. He needed some medicine… good thing he had been learning how to steal. No one would give him any if he asked.

Making his way towards the main campus, he paused as he heard yelling. He walked forward until he could see a couple students harassing a smaller one. He watched as one of the taller kids pulled at the smaller Elezen’s ears. The strong picking on the weak. There wasn’t anything new about this scene but he still stopped. In Limsa he would have ignored them. Even now he was trained to ignore such things unless they were important to his mission. The only difference was that he had met Louisoix.

‘You’re quick and bright. I see great promise in you. But most importantly, I can see that when the time comes, you’re the type to make the right choice,’ He recalled Louisoix’s words as he clenched his fist. Damn that scholar for reading him like a book.

“Hey, bastards!” He yelled as he rushed forward; his fist meeting the closest one’s cheek. “Three against one isn’t fair!”

The two that were standing looked at their friend in shock before looking at Thancred. One of them snorted when he realized who it was. “It’s just the stupid, sea rat. He can’t do anything unless he wants to be kicked out. Master Louisoix is gone right now. He can’t save him.”

Thancred’s eyes narrowed at the nickname but the boy was right. He couldn’t do anything right now without fear of extreme punishment. But even with this knowledge the other boy looked hesitant. “But Urianger could say it was our fault.”

“Uriagner won’t say anything. Right—“ The boy was cut off as he narrowly missed Thancred’s fist. Growling, he punched at the Hyur but missed. Thanks to Thancred’s classes, this was child’s play. He continued to dodge until an attack hit bad arm. Hissing in pain, he stumbled allowing the boy to grab a hold of him in a headlock. “Gods, you’re annoying. One of you guys, get him.”

The one Thancred had punched earlier stood up. With a cocky smirk he made his way over to their new struggling victim. Glaring, Thancred squirmed until he got his captors arm close to his mouth. Not even thinking about it, he bit down hard. With a shout of pain he was quickly released.

“Shite. He bit me!” The boy shouted as he rushed to his friends. The other two looked at him in concern. “I’m bleeding!”

“I heard he’s sick…”

“Think you’ll get rabies?”

The boy glared at Thancred. “I’m telling my father about this,” He declaired before storming away followed by his two friends.

“I’m terrified.” Thancred snorted before turning to the Elezen he had rescued. They were petite with golden eyes and silver hair. “Are you okay, princess?”

The Elezen blinked in confusion at the title. “Princess…?”

Thancred felt silly now. “Er… I read it in a book. The hero rescued the princess from three bandits and that’s how he gretted her…”

“ _Sir Haurold and the Fairy’s Orb_?” The Elezen questioned excitedly. Thancred nodded in response. “Ah… that’s a good book. But he was a knight.”

“I don’t look knightly enough?”

“Nay,” The Elezen responded with a shy smile. “But… thou didst look heroic. Mayhaps one day thou shalt be a knight.”

“I doubt I’ll ever be knight the way things are going for me,” Thancred sighed before he looked at the other thoughtfully. Decided she was cute enough, he winked, “Although… if you were the princess I’d be your knight any day.”

The Elezen’s face turned bright red at the declaration. “W-what? Like the fairy tales? Will thee rescue me from dragons?”

“I’ll need some fairies to help with the dragon… but I can protect you from poison apples.”

She laughed at the references before bowing. “Then I shall taketh thee as my knight. Thou shall now serve House Augurelt.”

“The honor is mine,” He said as he bowed back. He faintly thought it was odd she didn’t courtesy but didn’t say anything. “That’s a pretty cool last name. Do knights get the last name of the house they serve.” 

“Nay,” She said with a small shake of her head. “Does thou not liketh the name Waters?”

“Hell no! It was given to me as a reminded of my place,” He scowled as he kicked the ground. “Someone who doesn’t belong here. If it wasn’t for Louisoix, no one would have ever accepted me here. Hell even now no one does.”

She was quiet for a moment before sticking out her hand. “My name is Urianger. Will thou be my friend?”

Thancred stared at the hand a moment before bursting out laughing. “What was that?”

“I-It was me trying to accept thee,” Urianger stammered as the blush reappeared. “Was that wrong?”

“Normally people don’t ask to be friends like that,” He chuckled before reaching for her hand. “Sounds like you already know it but I’m Thancred. If you’re crazy enough to be my friend, I’ll take it.”

‘The contract has been forged,” Urianger said as she shook their hands. He snicked quietly at the quirkiness but didn’t say anything else. “Now Moenbryda will stop pestering me to make more friends.”

“Well when you have peers like those kids, I don’t blame you.”

She shrugged. “It’s not that. I just prefer books to people. I’m glad thou likes to read.”

“I… guess I do. I’m really bad at it though,” Thancred replied as he moved to scratch the back of his had out of habit. He flinched as it was the wrong arm.

“Why art thou bad at it?” She caught him flinching. “Is aught amiss?”

“I’m still learning,” He explained before shaking his head. “I got injured during practice today. I’ll be find after some rest.”

“After some reset? That sounds like thee hasn’t put anything on it,” She chided before reaching into her bag. “Let me see thine arm. I have a potion in here.”

He began to roll up his sleeve before opting to take the whole thing off. Maybe she’d be impressed by his bare chest… or not. She was intently staring at his bruising shoulder. “What training does thou doest? This looks more like a fall than a fight.”

“It was,” He replied before hesitating. “Um… I’m not supposed to really talk about it though. I’m one of the shadows.”

“Oh…” Urianger muttered quietly before fiddling with the potion she had retrieved. Gently she dabbed it on the bruise and watched as it absorbed into the skin with a faint light. “I heard those classes were difficult. Will thou be alright?”

“As long as I have a princess to fight for, I’ll get though the toughest of trials,” Thancred responded dramatically causing them both to laugh. His laughter quickly faded though. “Seriously though, it’s hard but it’s about the only thing I excel at. And it’s not that knight like.”

“Why not?” She questioned while looking at him intently. “Thou dost train and learn. Those two are important for a knight.”

“I’m sure you know what the shadows grow up to be,” He sighed as he glanced away. “Spies. Assassins. All the dirty jobs no one wants to do. There’s nothing virtuous about those kinds of jobs.”

She was quiet for a moment before shaking her head. “I think a knight being virtuous is only in fairy tales for children.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… They fight for what they believe in. Being virtuous doesn’t make them heroes. It’s standing up for what they believe in even if it goes against society’s virtues.”

“That’s… really wise,” Thancred said, completely impressed. “But I don’t even know what I believe in.”

“Why didst thou protect me?”

“That’s—” He started before pausing. He was going to say it was because she was cute but he hadn’t known what her face looked like before he stepped in. “I’m tired of the weak being stepped on.”

She nodded before standing up and offering her hand. “Sounds like thou wouldst make a proper knight.”

He glanced away before taking her hand and standing up. “I wouldn’t go that far… I’m a long ways away from helping anyone.”

“So am I,” She replied with a smile causing him to arch an eyebrow. “I want to help people too but… I’m not exactly strong.”

“Well strength doesn’t make a hero,” He said with a small smile. “As you said, true heroes stand up for what they believe.”

She blinked at him before smiling back. “Thou art correct.”

“Then one day we’ll both be heroes.” He grinned before holding out his fist. She looked at it in confusion. “It’s a fist bump. You knock it with your fist.”

“Like this…?” She questioned before gently tapping his fist with hers.

“Exactly,” He answered as a bell started ringing in the distance. “Ah shite. I’m going to be late. It was nice meeting you, princess. Hope to see you again soon!”

“Take care.” She waved at him good-bye before slightly frowning. “I wonder if I should have told him that I was a boy…"

**Author's Note:**

> I've always imagined Thancred thinking Urianger is a girl when they first meet since Elezens aren't as common in Limsa Lominsa.   
> Also can you tell what song I had on repeat as I wrote this? And you can tell the part where my brain start getting fried... but unfortunately these exercises are for me to sit and write. I need to start earlier. Luckily next week I'll be done with school~! 
> 
> Feel free to use these ideas in your writing or art. Try to credit me though if I inspire you. You can follow me on twitter at DiegoonNio.


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